Response to "A Critical Study of Sahih Bukhari"

By Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen

For further questions anyone is welcome for such debate or conversation. Contact us by E-Mail: Furqhan@Rediffmail.com

[ In keeping with the Bedrock policy of IRFI which is to encourage "Opposing Points of View" this response/counterpoint by Jamaat-ul- Muslimeen is posted. Mr. Asif Jalil is welcome to write a rebuttal to this response. The Editor, www.irfi.org ]

Dear Brother, Asif Jalil, it is not the first time or you are not the first person who has raised such doubts or perception, there were many before you who have raised such questions and they have been satisfactorily answered. In brief here are the answers for your questions that you raised in your Book "Critical study of Sahih Bukhari" that appeared on www.irfi.org as Book Number 4. (Under the IRFI BOOKS List)

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Criticism on HadithAs time passed on after the Prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) the ummah separated and became divided into sects, leaving aside true and authentic Islam in exchange for their sectarian beliefs, and as a result the ummah lost its power, were conquered by others and eventually started suffering from inferiority complex.

This inferiority complex led to the imitation of other cultures, but to stop them from doing all of this there were hadiths which forbade them from doing so and the hadiths fixed the meaning and interpretation of the Quran as well, so some paved their way by forming a new ideology which has it’s forms known as Pervaizis, 19ers or Ahle Quran etc.

People who felt Islam as a burden on their shoulders or suffered from inferiority complex started joining them, in Pakistan alone you would find many showbiz personalities dancing about and saying 'I get my inspirations from the Quran'.

Their basic Ideology is that hadiths should be left aside and the Quran alone should be practiced, to prove their ideology they made various criticisms on hadith.

In this article we intend to give a small preview of their criticism which they made in order to reject hadiths; however a fact they ignored and which Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen brings to light; that the criticism they made with regards to hadiths, if applied to the Quran would, Allah forbid, lead people into a belief of rejecting many ayahs of the Quran as well.

For each criticism of theirs we would quote an adequate response from the Quran, while the Criticism made on ahadith due to mistranslation or misinterpretation would be cleared also, Inshallah.

Criticism #1:Any hadith that goes against nature or natural sciences is fabricated.Response:O fire, be coolness and peace for Ibrahim.[Surah Anbiya: Ayah 69]What are we to say about fires which are meant to bring coolness? If we are to reject hadiths on this principal then the same can be said for this ayah as well, but the Ahl-e-Quran would never raise this point when discussing Ayahs; why this prejudice against hadith only? An explanation has never been given.

Criticism #2:Hadiths suggests that Allah has a throne and the sun prostrates Allah.Response:To Allah prostrate all things that are in the skies and on earth,- the sun, the moon, the stars; the hills, the trees.[Surah Hajj, ayah 18]Not only the sun but other things as well prostrate Allah.The seven skies declare His glory and the earth (too), and those who are in them; and there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not understand their glorification; surely He is Forbearing, Forgiving.[Surah Al Isra, ayah 44]We can't understand their worship but we have to acknowledge their worship whether it is mentioned in Quran or Ahadith, why reject one and acknowledge the other?Now does Allah have a throne?And His Throne was upon the water.[Surah Hud, ayah 7]

Criticism #3:Any such hadith will be considered fabricated which suggests that the tree cried.Response:We made the mountains, and the birds to celebrate Our praise.[Surah Anbiya, ayah 79]What are we to say about mountains which praise Allah, not only that some rocks fear Allah.And indeed there are rocks which fall down for the fear of Allah.[Surah Baqarah, ayah 74]So first reject these ayahs then criticize hadiths; if not and certainly not then why not believe in ahadith which carry a similar meaning and are also revealed by Allah?

Criticism #4:Hadith grants paradise to people if they say the Kalima only.Response:Well, some get paradise by saying our lord is Allah.Those who say: Our Lord is Allah, and afterward are upright, the angels descend upon them, saying: Fear not nor grieve, but hear good tidings of the paradise which ye are promised.[Surah Ha Meem Sajda, ayah 30]The hadith is just like the above ayah, where after saying 'Our lord Allah' they have to remain firm in their belief.

Criticism #5:Hadith forgives people 's sins if they perform small acts such as ablution. Response:Ablution is a very commendable act, it is done for salat but the Quran grants forgiveness just by saying a word and prostrating.Enter the gate prostrate, and say: "Repentance." We will forgive you your sins and will increase (reward) for the right-doers.[Surah Baqarah, ayah 58]

Criticism #6:Why do hadiths have conflicting reports regarding one matter? This alone proves their fabrication.Response:What are you to say when there is an ayah which doesn't tell a precise event but rather shows some ambiguity.And We sent him to a hundred thousand or more.[Surah Saffat, ayah 147]

Criticism #7:Hadith insults Ibrahim (Alaihi Salaam) by suggesting he lied three times.Response:First of all it should be clear we disagree with the translation in this regard but for arguments sake we are presenting this ayah. They said: Have you done this to our gods, O Ibrahim?He said: No, this was done by this biggest one! ask him, if he can speak..[Surah Anbiya, ayah 62-63]Now what are we to call this? Whatever the reason it would be termed a lie.This is one of the three events the hadith refers to, so criticize Quran first.The word used in hadith is 'Kazib', which usually means 'lie', but it also means 'mistake, an arrow not hitting the target or something said which has dual meaning etc'.The appropriate meaning of Kazib in this hadith would be 'something said which has dual meaning'.

Criticism #8:Is spit of the Prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) meant to be a cure?Response:Yes, it is meant to be a cure. If a breathe of a Prophet can bring things to life then the saliva of another prophet can be cure.That I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, that I determine for you out of dust like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird with Allah's permission.[Surah Aale Imran, ayah 49]Allah shows miracles through his prophets.

Criticism #9:Any hadith which suggest that the throne of Allah shacked on someone 's death, such hadith is definitely fabricated.Response:So the heaven and the earth did not weep for them.[Surah Ad Dukhan, ayah 29]What are you to say about the sky and earth not weeping on someone 's death, so this means it does weep on someone 's death.If you are to say that it is only a figure of speech then the same can be said about the hadith, why reject one and accept the other?

Criticism #10:Ahadith were collected and compiled by humans, they could have made mistakes.While for Quran Allah has promised its protection.Response:Who do you think collected and protected the Quran? Angels?About the promise to protect the Quran, there is no such ayah which suggests that Allah will protect the Quran only.Surely We have revealed the Reminder and We will most surely be its Guardian.[Surah Hijr, ayah 9] The word used in the Arabic text is 'Zikr' which can be applied to both Quran and Ahadith.

Criticism #11:It is in an hadith that the prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) used to have intercourse with his wife while he was fasting.Response:There is no such hadith which suggests that, the word 'mubasharat' in the Arabic text has confused the people.Imam Shoukani says mubasharat means 'the touching of two bodies' [Nail-ul-Autar, Chapter taqbeel-saim].So the hadith only means that you can touch your wife or kiss her, during the process your body can touch her.

Criticism #12:It is in ahadith that there are ayahs which were later abrogated.Response:Were the ayahs abrogated in the lifetime of the Prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam)?If so, then what is wrong with that if the prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) told us this is Quran and later if he himself tells us these ayahs are abrogated, why are we not to believe him?If it is said that they were abrogated after his life, then they won't be hadiths of the prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam), so why criticize hadiths for it?Most of the narrations in this regard are dhaeef, while one is in Sahih Bukhari, which too is the saying of Omar (RadiAllahu Tala Anho) not a marfoo (elevated) hadith {words of the prophet}.The word to focus in that is 'Ayah' and 'Kitab Allah'.The word book always doesn't necessarily mean 'Quran' always, it is proven from ahadith but here we quote an ayah to prove it.This Quran is not such as can be produced by other than Allah; on the contrary it is a confirmation of (revelations) that went before it, and a fuller explanation of the Book wherein there is no doubt - from the Lord of the worlds.[Surah Younus, ayah 37]Quran explains the book, which book? Here we would take the meaning of book as shariah and the correct meaning would be Quran explains the shariah.If we are to say it means 'Quran explains the Quran', then why the different usage of words? Further more we find that there are many things which are not explained in the Quran, for example how to offer salat or which are the forbidden months.The hadiths have been called 'kitab Allah' in ahadith.Now about the word 'ayah'.Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed ayahs for men of understanding.[Surah Al-Imran, ayah 190:- 190]And on the earth are ayah for those who have Faith with certainty and also in your own selves. Will you not then see.[Surah Dhariyat, ayah 20-21]Same is the case for the word ayah, it doesn't always the 'ayah of the Quran', as can be seen in the above ayahs, in these ayahs it just means 'signs'.

Criticism #13:It is stated in ahadith that our prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) married a nine year old child.Response:If you have a hard time accepting this, how do you accept that a woman can have a child without a man? How do you accept a barren woman having a child with an old man.She said: My Lord! How shall there be a son to me when no man has even touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.[Surah Aale Imran, ayah 47] He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached infirm old age? He said: So shall it be, your Lord says: It is easy to Me...[Surah Maryam, ayah 8-9]The answer to all the above is easy for a Muslim that if Allah wishes it to be then a woman can have a child without a man, if Allah wishes, a barren woman can have a child with an old man, similarly we say that if Allah wishes, a nine year old girl can be mature enough to be married.Narrated 'Aisha (RadiAllahu Tala Anha):Allah's prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) said : You were shown to me in a dream. An angel brought you to me, wrapped in a piece of silken cloth, and said to me, 'This is your wife.' I removed the piece of cloth from your face, and there you were. I said to myself: If it is from Allah, then it will surely be. [Sahih Bukhari: Volume 7, Book 62, Number 57] It is evident from the above hadith that Aisha (RadiAllahu Tala Anha) was married to the prophet (SallAllah-u-Alaihi-wa-Sallam) on the command from Allah, as the dreams of prophets are from Allah.Further more Aisha (RadiAllahu Tala Anha) got married at the age of six, started living with her husband at the age of nine, but there is no mention in ahadith that she had intercourse with her husband at that age.The word used is 'Bana' which means 'to bring the wife home', there is no mention in the hadith about what happened afterwards.Having said this, lets address the above Criticism regarding Aisha (RadiAllahu Tala Anha) 's marriage in the light of modern research. Can a person attain puberty at such a small age?The age of attaining puberty differs from person to person and place to place, like in Africa a nine year old gave birth to a child.[Newspaper "Daily Dawn" issued from Karachi, dated 29th March 1966]Which means the girl reached the age of puberty at the age of eight.